Fahrenheit Meeting
by PrettyGothGirl
Summary: RG: Gippal and Rikku share a short reunion on the flight between Bikanel and Bevelle.


**Fahrenheit Meeting**  
_by PrettyGothGirl_

All Disclaimers Apply  
**Summary:** Rikku and Gippal share a quick reunion on the trip between Bikanel and Bevelle.  
**Author's Note:** Something of a what if? and something of an AU to a series I'm working on. (Yeah, an AU to an AU of sorts) Yes, I'm working on a series. :) Lots of Series in fact, I can't seem to stick to one.

Gippal strutted down the corridors of Cid's new to him airship not looking to the left or the right on his way to the bridge, mind fully on the problem of the engines. The doors of the bridge airlock opened automatically in front of him and he noted the man he'd met in the desert, Sir Auron was it, slouching against the wall as he passed to the second set of doors and entered the bridge. He was sort of hard to miss, red robes, blue walls. The bright glow of the Sphere Oscillafinder captured his attention and the target of him leaving his post stood right next to it, Cid; bald, Elder, grouchy old man and one big pain in the ass. He barely noted that there were other people standing around on the bridge. Only one forced themselves into his awareness.

"Gippal!"

He rocked back on his heels as someone short, blonde, female, and dressed in orange barreled into him. He looked down and a slow grin spread across his face as he saw the top of the head and back of the neck of who could only be Cid's one and only daughter, Rikku. She wrapped her arms about his chest and he slid his arms about her waist, squeezing her tight. He laughed, picked her up off her feet and swung her about. "Rikku!"

"You're alive." She tilted her head back and grinned up at him.

He set her down on and smirked. "Like the Crusaders could kill me. I'm a bad luck gil. I always come back."

She rolled her eyes and put her head back on his chest and he couldn't help to lean down and press his lips to the top of her head. She smelled of sand, desert wind, old electronics and hot metal, the scent of Home. He closed his eyes and inhaled deep, a lump forming in the back of his throat. She was so warm and his skin tingled as he held her, an ache in his chest. She was alive and well and just as bright and pretty and Rikku-

Cid cleared his throat. Gippal jumped. He turned his head to look at him. A small smile played around Cid's mouth as he looked between Gippal and his daughter. He didn't say anything about it however. Gippal almost sagged in relief. He did not need Cid's cutting remarks at the moment, not when this was the first he'd seen Rikku in months. "_So ahkehac_?" Cid asked. (My engines.)

Gippal stroked Rikku's back, hand slipping under her shirt to touch her satiny skin. "_Nihhehk rud. Ev _Anikki_ gaabc ed cmuf, fa cruimt pa ypma du gaab dras ihtan luhdnum. Hu vycdan dryh fa yna huf druikr un drao'mm pmuf yht hu crufehk uvv. Tet oui rayn sa, _Anikki?" He brushed Rikku's bangs back with his other hand. (Running hot. If Anikki keeps it slow, we should be able to keep them under control. No faster than we are now else they'll blow and no showing off. Did you hear me, Anikki?)

Anikki looked over his shoulder and scowled. "_E raynt oui. Cdub sumacdehk so cecdan._" (I heard you. Stop molesting my sister.)

Rikku reared back, but didn't leave Gippal's arms, face flushed. "_Ra'c hud sumacdehk sa. Kaaw, pnudran._" (He's not molesting me. Geez, brother.) She glanced around the bridge quickly, eyes going to people that Gippal hadn't been paying attention to. She turned a brighter shade of red and put her head back on Gippal's chest most likely to hide. "Meanie." She muttered.

Gippal looked about and met the wide-eyed gaze of a red headed guy with a ridiculous hairdo. His eyebrows rose and he challenged the other man to say anything about what he was doing. The guy crossed his arms and scowled, clearly not happy but he couldn't say anything. Rikku's hand slid around his neck and Gippal smirked. He moved his gaze. A woman was next, all in black, black clothes, black hair and with deep red eyes that reminded him of Paine's. Her smile was just as amused as Paine's when she made an observation she knew you wouldn't like. Gippal nodded at her knowing better than to provide any other sort of reaction to her type. Lastly, he saw Sir Auron had entered as well. Auron peered at him over his sunglasses face neutral. Gippal shrugged and looked down at Rikku. "I'm getting grease all over you." He murmured.

"Don't care."

He sighed. "I have to go back and help Dachi."

She pressed her lips together and took a step back nodding, not leaving his embrace. Her hand slipped down to rest on his chest. "I have to save Yuna. I'm a Guardian now."

He closed his eyes slowly and swallowed. He was the one who was supposed to put himself in danger and face Sin and now she was doing it. "Right." He whispered and opened his eyes accepting it, knowing better than to protest. This was Rikku who just got more stubborn if one told her no.

"She's not going to die. I won't let her die and if she doesn't die. I won't die." She raised her chin and peered down her nose at him. "It's going to be all right. We'll destroy Sin without sacrificing the Summoners."

"Sin _ech'd uin uhmo bnupmas_." He murmured. (Sin isn't our only problem.)

She stiffened. "_Fryd_?" (What?) She whispered, eyes widening. Eyes so green he always got lost in them. He reached up and rubbed his thumb across her lower lip, moist, rose pink. His heart raced in his chest.

"_Y_ machina, _ihtan _Bevelle, _ed'c rika_." (A machina, under Bevelle, it's huge.)

She inhaled. "_Oui dyga lyna uv dryd. E'mm dyga lyna uv_ Sin _yht_ Yuna." (You take care of that. I'll take care of Sin and Yuna.)

"_Nekrd_." (Right.) He only wished he knew how long it would take, how long would it be before they could be together again? How long would their self-chosen responsibilities keep them apart and would it be so long that what they shared, would it die? Or would it grow? He leaned down aiming for her cheek and last moment changed direction. He brushed a kiss across her lips. They were soft like velvet and silk. He had to linger. Her eyes closed, fingers curled into a fist on his chest. Abruptly, he let her go and walked towards the door, suddenly feeling cold. How could someone so small warm him so much?

Anikki's voice, snide, "_Ev oui yna xieda tuha fedr ouin puovneaht_." (If you are quite done with your boyfriend.)

"_Ra ec-_" (He is-)The door slid shut behind him. The door ahead of him opened and a boy with bleach blonde hair and bright blue eyes jogged past him. The door opened again. "_-yht oui ghuf ed!_"(And you know it!)

"_Cuihtc mega y puovneaht du sa_." Anikki taunted. (Sounds like a boyfriend to me.)

The boy paused. "What did I miss?"

Gippal ducked out the other door and headed towards the back of the ship. His arms felt empty and his strut didn't feel quite so buoyant. He couldn't keep his mind on the engines anymore. Instead, he had visions and memories of a pretty girl, his girl, Rikku, looks, scent, taste, feel, sound. He wished he knew what he and Rikku had. He wished things were over so they could get back to it. It better not take too long. It wasn't as if Spira gave them to the time to waste.

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